The present invention relates to decorative products that are suitable as surface coverings for floors, walls, etc., and, more particularly it is directed to an embossed or textured product having a wear layer with a substantially uniform thickness and the method of manufacturing the wear layer. The wear layer is applied to an embossed or textured substrate and uniquely follows the contours of the substrate to provide a unique three dimensional aesthetic appearance with enhanced clarity.
Decorative products useful as surface coverings for floors, walls, etc., are well known in the art and have achieved broad use in domestic and commercial environments. Unfortunately, the application of a protective surface layer on an embossed substrate has presented many difficult problems. The embossing tends to diminish or distort upon application of the wear layer. Such distortion or diminishing reduces the aesthetic appearance and the three dimensional effect desired. Further, air is entrapped between the wear layer and embossed or textured substrate when the wear layer is laminated to an embossed or textured substrate by conventional lamination processes.
Many prior art protective wear layer surfaces comprise relatively rigid thermoset polymers which are laminated to a flat substrate. The laminated wear layer and substrate is then embossed. For example, Sawka U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,675 discloses applying a substantially uniformly thick protective surface layer to a base layer or substrate and then embossing the base layer at a temperature between the softening temperature of the base layer and the decomposition temperature of the base layer, but less than the softening temperature of the wear layer.
Attention is also called to Fry U.S. Pat. No. 4,614,556. In this patent the wear layer has a relief pattern formed thereon and is laminated to a flat base layer. In another embodiment, the wear layer, which is substantially uniform in thickness, is embossed and then the base layer comprising a hot-melt composition is applied to the embossed wear layer.
Other commercially available floor structures are made by applying a liquid plastisol to a smooth or textured substrate. When the plastisol is fused, air bubbles are entrapped reducing clarity. Further, the liquid plastisol tends to flow into the depressions of the embossed substrate, reducing the texture of the exposed surface.
It is an object of this invention to provide a decorative surface covering for floors, walls, etc., which has a subtle textured appearance providing new visual and physical three dimensional properties with enhanced clarity.
Another object of this invention is to provide a textured product which visually retains all of the textured features of the substrate while providing protection by means of the wear layer.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a wear layer on an embossed or textured substrate which is substantially uniform in thickness with substantially no variation in wear layer thickness throughout its length and breadth.
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a textured product which clearly reflects the texture of the substrate including fine lenticular embossing.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a direct hot melt calendering process or an indirect hot melt calender process in which a melt processable polymer resin or hot melt calendered film is formed and applied to woven fabrics, burlap, fibers, caning and scrims that have textured properties without evidence of detrimental air entrapment while retaining a visual image of the textured material.
A further object of this invention is to provide a hot melt calendering process and wear layer which can be applied to a textured substrate without shade change which normally occurs with plastisol wetting out a fabric or paper substrate.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide a unique textured material and method of producing the same which can be readily manufactured with commercially available calendering equipment.
Another object of this invention is the application of a hot melt wear layer to the textured or embossed substrate without loss of sharpness and distinctiveness and the softening of the embossed substrate which can cause a deterioration of the embossed pattern.
Yet another object of this invention is to permit pre-embossing (chemically and/or mechanically) of a substrate prior to applying a wear layer, which allows for a range of additional decorating techniques.
In summary, this invention relates to a hot melt calendered or extruded wear layer which can be melt applied to an embossed or textured substrate without distorting the substrate and which wear layer conforms to the embossing or texture to give a three dimensional aesthetically pleasing product.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description and claims.